1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a detection terminal, a connector and a connector assembly with a detection terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,395 discloses a connector with a housing and a mating housing that are connectable with one another. A detection terminal is inserted into the housing from behind and contacts a mating detection terminal in the mating housing when the housings are connected properly. A resiliently deformable lock arm is cantilevered backward from the front end of the housing, and has an end that is movable vertically relative to the front end.
The detection terminal is below the lock arm, and includes a support that is supported on a front inner wall of the housing. A main body extends obliquely up towards the back from the support. A rear part of the main body is angled to project up to define an action portion that can be pressed by the pivoting portion of the lock arm. A contact projects up in a middle part of the main body along forward and backward directions and can contact the mating detection terminal. The detection terminal includes a press-in portion formed by closely folding back a front end portion of the support so that the folded part extends horizontally. The press-in portion is pressed into the inner wall of an intermediate part of the housing to compensate for a shortage in the holding force of the support. On the other hand, the mating detection terminal is a pin that is long and narrow in forward and backward directions. A rib projects along the upper surface of the mating housing and extends along the mating detection terminal to prevent deformation of the mating detection terminal.
The lock arm moves onto a lock projection on the mating housing in the process of connecting the housing with the mating housing. Accordingly, the lock arm deforms and the action portion of the detection terminal contacts an operable portion and presses the operable portion down. Thus, the contact is held at a non-contact position distanced from the mating detection terminal. The lock arm returns resiliently to engage the lock projection when the housing is connected properly with the mating housing to lock the two housings together. Additionally, the action portion displaces up as the lock arm returns to bring the contact into contact with the mating detection terminal from below. Thus, a detection circuit is closed via the detection terminals and proper connection of the housings can be detected electrically.
The pivoting portion is at the rear end of the above-described lock arm and the action portion is displaced as the pivoting portion is deformed. As a result, the action portion and the contact must be considerably rearward from the front of the housing. The mating detection terminal must extend sufficiently forward to touch the contact. Hence, the mating detection terminal is longer than other signal terminals by the length of this extension, and the above-described rib is essential. As a result, the above-described connector cannot meet demands for miniaturization and costs are high.
The action portion is behind the contact. Thus, an amount of movement of the action portion in a detection process must be larger than that of the contact. Accordingly, the pivoting portion of the lock arm must be able to deform a large amount, thereby further complicating efforts to meet demands for miniaturization of the connector.
The support is at the front end of the detection terminal, and the contact must be farther from the front of the housing if the support is supported in a large area by the housing. This results in the extension of the mating detection terminal, and hence a very large supporting area can not be ensured. Therefore, the press-in portion and main body must be formed separately at opposite sides of the support by folding, which has caused a problem of complicating the structure of the detection terminal.
The invention was developed in view of the above problems, and objects thereof are to miniaturize a connector, to reduce cost and to simplify the structure of a detection terminal.